Roman Catholic Archdiocese of San Juan de Puerto Rico
Encyclopedia
The Roman Catholic Archdiocese of San Juan de Puerto Rico is an ecclesiastical territory or diocese of the Roman Catholic Church
, comprising the northeast portion of the island of Puerto Rico
, a commonwealth of the United States
. It is led by a prelate
archbishop
who pastor
s the mother church
in the City of San Juan
, the Cathedral of San Juan.
The See of San Juan de Puerto Rico was canonically erected on August 8, 1511 as the Diocese of Puerto Rico de San Juan. Due to the switch of names between the island and the capital, its name was changed on November 21, 1924 to the Diocese of San Juan de Puerto Rico. It was elevated to an archdiocese leading a metropolitan province on April 30, 1960.
The Archdiocese of San Juan de Puerto Rico is the metropolitan see for Caguas
, Fajardo–Humacao
, Ponce
, Mayagüez
, and Arecibo
The current archbishop is the Most Reverend Roberto González Nieves
, O.F.M.
Roman Catholic Church
The Catholic Church, also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the world's largest Christian church, with over a billion members. Led by the Pope, it defines its mission as spreading the gospel of Jesus Christ, administering the sacraments and exercising charity...
, comprising the northeast portion of the island of Puerto Rico
Puerto Rico
Puerto Rico , officially the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico , is an unincorporated territory of the United States, located in the northeastern Caribbean, east of the Dominican Republic and west of both the United States Virgin Islands and the British Virgin Islands.Puerto Rico comprises an...
, a commonwealth of the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. It is led by a prelate
Prelate
A prelate is a high-ranking member of the clergy who is an ordinary or who ranks in precedence with ordinaries. The word derives from the Latin prælatus, the past participle of præferre, which means "carry before", "be set above or over" or "prefer"; hence, a prelate is one set over others.-Related...
archbishop
Archbishop
An archbishop is a bishop of higher rank, but not of higher sacramental order above that of the three orders of deacon, priest , and bishop...
who pastor
Pastor
The word pastor usually refers to an ordained leader of a Christian congregation. When used as an ecclesiastical styling or title, this role may be abbreviated to "Pr." or often "Ps"....
s the mother church
Mother Church
In Christianity, the term mother church or Mother Church may have one of the following meanings:# The first mission church in an area, or a pioneer cathedral# A basilica or cathedral# The main chapel of a province of a religious order...
in the City of San Juan
San Juan, Puerto Rico
San Juan , officially Municipio de la Ciudad Capital San Juan Bautista , is the capital and most populous municipality in Puerto Rico, an unincorporated territory of the United States. As of the 2010 census, it had a population of 395,326 making it the 46th-largest city under the jurisdiction of...
, the Cathedral of San Juan.
The See of San Juan de Puerto Rico was canonically erected on August 8, 1511 as the Diocese of Puerto Rico de San Juan. Due to the switch of names between the island and the capital, its name was changed on November 21, 1924 to the Diocese of San Juan de Puerto Rico. It was elevated to an archdiocese leading a metropolitan province on April 30, 1960.
The Archdiocese of San Juan de Puerto Rico is the metropolitan see for Caguas
Roman Catholic Diocese of Caguas
The Roman Catholic Diocese of Caguas is an ecclesiastical territory or diocese of the Roman Catholic Church in the Caribbean and consists of the east and southeast part of the island of Puerto Rico, an American commonwealth. The diocese is led by a Bishop Ruben González Medina, C.M.F...
, Fajardo–Humacao
Roman Catholic Diocese of Fajardo-Humacao
The Roman Catholic Diocese of Fajardo-Humacao is an ecclesiastical territory or diocese of the Roman Catholic Church in the United States and consists of part east and the northeast of the island of Puerto Rico, an American commonwealth.The diocese is led by Bishop Eusebio Ramos Morales...
, Ponce
Roman Catholic Diocese of Ponce
The Roman Catholic Diocese of Ponce is an ecclesiastical territory or diocese of the Roman Catholic Church in the United States and consists of the southern part of the island of Puerto Rico, an American commonwealth. The diocese is led by a prelate bishop which pastors the motherchurch in the...
, Mayagüez
Roman Catholic Diocese of Mayagüez
The Roman Catholic Diocese of Mayagüez is an ecclesiastical territory or diocese of the Roman Catholic Church in the United States and consists of the western part of the island of Puerto Rico, an American commonwealth...
, and Arecibo
Roman Catholic Diocese of Arecibo
The Roman Catholic Diocese of Arecibo is an ecclesiastical territory or diocese of the Roman Catholic Church in Puerto Rico and consists of the northern part of the island of Puerto Rico, an American commonwealth. It is led by Bishop Daniel Fernández Torres...
The current archbishop is the Most Reverend Roberto González Nieves
Roberto González Nieves
Roberto Octavio González Nieves, OFM is the leader of the Roman Catholic Church in Puerto Rico and the current Archbishop of San Juan.-Early life and education:...
, O.F.M.
Archbishops
- Alonso MansoAlonso MansoBishop Alonso Manso was a Spanish bishop born in Becerril de Campos, Spain. He studied theology at the University of Salamanca. He became the canon of Salamanca and the chaplain of the prince Don Juan. On November 15, 1504 he was appointed bishop of Magua, Dominican Republic...
(1511–1539) - Rodrigo de BastidasRodrigo de BastidasRodrigo de Bastidas was a Spanish conquistador and explorer who mapped the northern coast of South America and founded the city of Santa Marta.-Early life:...
(1541–1567) - Francisco Andrés de Carvajal, O.F.M. (1568–1570)
- Manuel de Mercado Aldrete, O.S.H. (1570–1576)
- Fr. Diego de Salamanca, O.S.A.Diego de SalamancaFr. Diego de Salamanca was the first Augustinian who was a Roman Catholic bishop in Puerto Rico.He was Spanish, born in Burgos in 1519. In 1541, he came with the Augustinians and made his profession...
(1576–1587) - Nicolás de Ramos y Santos, O.F.M. (1588–1592)
- Antonio Calderón de León (1593–1598)
- Martín Vasquez de Arce, O.P.Dominican OrderThe Order of Preachers , after the 15th century more commonly known as the Dominican Order or Dominicans, is a Catholic religious order founded by Saint Dominic and approved by Pope Honorius III on 22 December 1216 in France...
(1600–1609) - Francisco Diaz de Cabrera, O.P. (1611–1614)
- Pedro de Solier y Vargas, O.S.A. (1614–1619)
- Bernardo de BalbuenaBernardo de BalbuenaBernardo de Balbuena was a Spanish poet. He was the first of a long series of Latin American poets who extolled the special beauties of the New World.- Life :...
(1620–1627) - Juan López de Agurto de la Mata (1630–1634)
- Juan Alonso de Solis y Mendoza, O. Carm. (1635–1641)
- Juan Damián López de HaroJuan Damián López de HaroFriar Juan Damián López de Haro was a member of the Order of the Most Holy Trinity and served as Bishop of Puerto Rico in 1644...
, O.SS.T. (1643–1648) - Hernando de Lobo Castrillo, O.F.M. (1649–1651)
- Francisco Naranjo, O.P. (1652–1655)
- Juan Francisco Arnaldo Isasi (1656–1661)
- Benito de Rivas, O.S.B. (1663–1668)
- Bartolomé Garcia de Escañuela, O.F.M. (1671–1676)
- Marcos de Sobremonte (1677–1681)
- Juan Francisco de Padilla, O. de M. (1684–1693)
- Jerónimo Nosti de Valdés, O.S.Bas. (1704–1705)
- Pedro de la Concepcion Urtiaga, O.F.M. (1707–1715)
- Fernando de Valdivia y Mendoza, O.S.A. (1719–1725)
- Sebastián Lorenzo Pizarro, O.S.Bas. (1727–1736)
- Francisco Pérez Lozano, O.S.Bas. (1738–1743)
- Francisco Placido de Bejar, Monje Basilio (1745)
- Francisco Julián de Antolino (1748–1752)
- Pedro Martínez de Oneca (1756–1760)
- Mariano Martí (1761–1770)
- Manuel Jiménez Pérez, O.S.B. (1771–1781)
- Felipe José de Tres-Palacios (1784–1789)
- Francisco de Cuerda (1790–1795)
- Juan Bautista de Zengotita, O. de M. (1795–1802)
- Juan Alejo de ArizmendiJuan Alejo de ArizmendiBishop Juan Alejo de Arizmendi was a patriot and the first Puerto Rican to be consecrated Bishop.-Early years:...
(1804–1814) - Mariano Rodríguez de Olmedo (1815–1824)
- Pedro Gutierrez de Cos (1826–1833)
- Francisco Fleix Soláus (1846)
- Francisco de La Puente, O.P.(1846–1848)
- Gil Estévez y Tomás (1848–1854)
- Pablo Benigno Carrion de Málaga, O.F.M. Cap. (1857–1871)
- Juan Antonio Puig y Montserrat, O.F.M. (1874–1894)
- Toribio Minguella y Arnedo, O.A.R. (1894–1898)
- Francisco Javier Valdés y Noriega, O.S.A. (1898–1899)
- James Herbert Blenk, S.M. (1899–1906)
- William Ambrose Jones, O.S.A. (1907–1921)
- Jorge José Caruana (1921–1925)
- Edwin ByrneEdwin ByrneEdwin Vincent Byrne was an American prelate of the Roman Catholic Church. He served in Puerto Rico, as Bishop of Ponce and Bishop of San Juan , before returning to the United States as Archbishop of Santa Fe .-Biography:Edwin Byrne was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, to Francis Charles and Anna...
(1929–1943) - James Peter Davis (1943–1964)
- Monsignor James Peter DavisJames Peter DavisJames Peter Davis was an American prelate of the Roman Catholic Church. He served as Archbishop of San Juan and Archbishop of Santa Fe .-Biography:...
, 1960–1964, first archbishop - Cardinal Luis Aponte MartínezLuis Aponte MartínezLuis Aponte Martínez is the only Puerto Rican ever to be consecrated a cardinal of the Catholic Church, and for 34 years was the Archbishop of San Juan. Cardinal Aponte was a cardinal elector in the two conclaves of 1978....
, 1964–1999, archbishop Emeritus - Roberto González NievesRoberto González NievesRoberto Octavio González Nieves, OFM is the leader of the Roman Catholic Church in Puerto Rico and the current Archbishop of San Juan.-Early life and education:...
, O.F.M., 1999–present
Auxiliary bishops
- Hermín Negrón SantanaHermín Negrón SantanaHermín Negrón Santana is an auxiliary bishop in the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of San Juan de Puerto Rico. Santana was ordained a bishop by John Paul II on September 7, 1981.-References:...
, Auxiliary Bishop of San Juan - Héctor Rivera PérezHéctor Rivera PérezHéctor Rivera Pérez was an auxiliary bishop for the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of San Juan de Puerto Rico. Rivera Pérez was ordained a bishop by John Paul II on August 17, 1979 and retired October 31, 2009.-References:...
, Auxiliary Bishop Emeritus of San Juan (1979-2009)
High schools
- Academia del Perpetuo SocorroAcademia del Perpetuo SocorroAcademia del Perpetuo Socorro was founded in 1921 as a Catholic parochial school pertaining to the Perpetuo Socorro Parish at the Archdiocese of San Juan, Puerto Rico. The school is located in Miramar in Puerto Rico's capital city of San Juan...
, San Juan - Academia Maria ReinaAcademia Maria ReinaAcademia Maria Reina is a Catholic middle and high school for girls in San Juan, Puerto Rico.-Educative Mission:Academia Maria Reina is a school of the Sisters of Saint Joseph of Brentwoood, New York...
, San Juan - Academia San JorgeAcademia San JorgeAcademia San Jorge is a private, Roman Catholic school in San Juan, Puerto Rico founded in 1925 by Rev. Msgr. José M. Rivera as a parochial school with 53 students from grades K–3. Shortly after, the school started construction on the first building, which still exists today, and added grades 4-12...
, San Juan - Colegio Católico Notre DameColegio Católico Notre DameColegio Católico Notre Dame is a coeducational Roman Catholic school located in Caguas, Puerto Rico. Notre Dame is composed of a pre-kindergarten, kindergarten, elementary school, a middle school, and a high school...
, Caguas - Colegio María AuxiliadoraColegio María AuxiliadoraColegio María Auxiliadora is located in Carolina, Puerto Rico. Is a co-educational catholic school belongs to the school system of the Archdiocese of San Juan de Puerto Rico; being the most large from their schools...
, Carolina - Colegio San Ignacio de LoyolaColegio San Ignacio de LoyolaColegio San Ignacio de Loyola is a Catholic Jesuit college-preparatory school founded by the Society of Jesus in in 1952. The school was originally located in Santurce, but was moved to its current location by the Jesuit fathers in 1956. Colegio San Ignacio is the only Jesuit school in Puerto Rico...
, San Juan - Colegio San JoséColegio San JoséColegio San José is a college-preparatory catholic school for boys in Rio Piedras, Puerto Rico. It is a fully accredited Catholic college preparatory school for young men, grades 7 to 12, which develops capable, responsible and sensitive Christian leaders, committed to the service of God and neighbor...
, San Juan
Ecclesiastical Province of San Juan de Puerto Rico
- See: List of the Catholic bishops of the United States#Province of San Juan de Puerto Rico